With an upscale decor featuring white tablecloths and candlelit dinners, City View restaurant in San Francisco, CA is a popular destination for those wanting an exquisite meal in a charming setting. This restaurant features dim sum, which is a Chinese specialty that offers patrons an assortment of sweet and savory bite-size items to satisfy their appetites. Dim sum can be either steamed, baked or fried, and they are made with vegetarian, meat and seafood fillings. For those who prefer more than just dim sum, the restaurant also offers small rice and noodle side dishes. Like many San Francisco restaurants, this eatery sources ingredients from local providers. The menu changes regularly as a result. From appetizers through dessert, there are many unique and delightful items on the menu to choose from.

Small Items

A Dim Sum meal at City View begins with an appetizing array of vegetarian, meat and seafood samplings. Those who like pork can order the BBQ pork bun, which is available steamed or fried. The black bean spare ribs are another delicacy, as are the pork potstickers, which are fried meat-filled pastries. Vegetarians can begin the meal with vegetable spring rolls, which are served with a sweet chili sauce. The onion pancakes and turnip cakes are also other delightful meat-free starters. Chicken dim sum options include chicken feet and chicken buns.

Medium and Large Items

For larger plates, the pie-style BBQ pork turnover is a delightful option, as is the chicken lettuce wrap, which contains lettuce, assorted vegetables and minced chicken meat wrapped into a thin pastry crust. A highlight on this menu is the beautifully presented Jade dumpling, and the deep-fried glutinous puff, which is a deep-fried rice cake, is a good choice for those who want something more substantial. The Peking duck in lotus bun and the pork and peanut fun gao are popular choices among meat lovers, while vegetarians enjoy the fresh cilantro dumplings, the steamed spinach dumplings and the mushroom fun gao. Larger plates include a taro puff, sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf and shrimp dumpling, which is a steamed dumpling filled with shrimp.

Specials

While the standard dim sum offerings are certainly worth trying, the Dim Sum specials at City View are worth saving room for. Specialties on this menu include the sesame chicken, which is a small plate of chicken meat covered with sesame seeds. The XO sauce pan fried noodles are another hearty selection from this menu, as are the tasty BBQ chicken skewers, which are pieces of grilled chicken finished with a tangy barbecue sauce. The seasonal vegetables are a fine choice for vegetarians, and the deep-fried shrimp rolls cater to seafood lovers.

Desserts

For dessert, the restaurant offers sweet dumplings called sesame balls with lotus paste. The almond jello, made with tofu, is a light and refreshing way to end the meal, while the Chinese donuts are ideal for those who want something with sugar. The coconut custard roll is also a fan favorite.